"But where Goya shows the most exquisite sensibility and profound psychology is in these two portraits of one person, in which he incorporates the whole story of a dreamer swayed in life and death by the highest ideals, a woman of a race of poets and artists, Dona Antonia de Zarate. Though in the first portrait he represented her smiling and in perfect health, in the second [painted in 1810-11 by Goya] he knew her existence was undermined by a treacherous disease which was to cause her death. Never have we felt more deeply the impression of pathos than before this presentment of a soul rather than a person, before this face enveloped in transparent veils, with life showing in the eyes, and in that life a melancholy realization of approaching death."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Francisco Goya
1746 – 1803
Francisco Goya (30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish painter and printmaker. He was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history. His letters to MartÃn Zapater y ClaverÃa , (1746-1803) a prosperous merchant and Goya's closest friend - spanning some 30 years, are an important private source for Goya's quotes; these letters show him at his most intimate and uninhibited.
75 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Francisco Goya →
Related Quotes
"I tell you that I have nothing more to wish for. They were extremely pleased with my pictures, and expressed great sa…"
"But now? well now, now I have no fear of Witches, goblins, ghosts, thugs, Giants, ghouls, scallywags, etc, nor any so…"
"As I am working for the public, I must continue to amuse them."
"I have had luck with my St. Bernardino, not only with the experts, but with the public as well. Without any reservati…"
"Beloved soulmate.. ..you'll kiss my ass at least seven times if I manage to convince you from the crazy happiness I g…"
"I am now Painter to the King with fifteen thousand reales [a year].. ..the King sent out an order to Bayeu and Maella…"
"I have now established an enviable way of living, and if anyone wants anything from me they must come to me."
"I haven't heard them [n.d.r. he's talking about some Spanish popular folk songs] and probably never shall because I n…"
"I had established an enviable scheme of life. I refused to dance attendance in the ante-chambers of the great. If any…"
"Since most of the subjects depicted in this work are not real, it is not unreasonable to hope that connoisseurs will …"